Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day – mid-October 2007

Nan gardens on 4 acres in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. In the firm belief that every garden ought to have a pretentious-sounding (or at least pretentious-looking) name, she refers to her home grounds as "Hayefield." There, she experiments with a wide variety of plants and planting styles, from cottage gardens and color-based borders to managed meadows, naturalistic plantings, and veggies--all under the watchful eyes of her two pet alpacas, Daniel and Duncan.

Part of the fun of Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day is learning about new plants to try in my garden. I think I’d like to try the aromatic aster, Aster oblongifolius. The Asters in my garden have to be cut back twice to keep them nice and full.

I’ve not yet gotten Aster/Syphyotrichum-whateever oblongifolius because I couldn’t decide between October Skies, Raydon’s Favorite, & Fanny. I guess it doesn’t matter which I get, since yours look so much alike, both stunning.

Wonderful pictures, Nan. Is that muhly grass on the cover of your new (can’t exactly remember the title, but I think it’s something like “Fallscaping”) book, by chance? I can picture this with the bright yellow of amsonia hubrechtii on the cover for some reason.

My ‘Golden Delicious’ sage has just now gotten started blooming, too. I still can’t decide if I like it, but mine is not as full and lush as yours–possibly because it’s in a pot. I definitely know that I’m drooling over that banana and bloodgrass combo, though… lovely.

You have a great memory, Kim: Yes, the muhly grass is on the cover of Fallscaping, with Amsonia hubrichtii in full fall color. The clumps I showed here are some of the same plants that were in that shot, but these are living in another bed now.

Nan, it was a very memorable picture! (That the amsonia I meant is spelled with an “i” instead of an “e” for the fifth letter did escape me, however… *grin*)

I only had a little time to flip through it while I waited for friends at the bookstore, but I definitely plan to investigate it further when time allows. In the meantime… I must say that I think it’s beyond cool that you all have your own projects going on but that you’re really truly putting together a garden blog and getting into it. It’s obviously not just a marketing tool (because I couldn’t find a picture of your book cover even when I searched for it) but a passion. Very nice.

I really appreciate your comments, Kim. It has been a challenge to keep up with both work-writing and blog-writing, but it’s also fun being able to write about things I find interesting without worrying about word counts and deadlines. By the way, you might want to hold off on buying Fallscaping. You’ll find out why on November 1!

Nan ~ I just found this Blog, and I have to say that I want your garden!
The pink muhly grass and the blue mistflower are both going into my yard as soon as I can get to my checkbook!
I love your designs and I will be back…J.

Welcome to GGW, Jennifer! I’m glad you enjoyed the photos. I’m not sure where you garden, so I’ll warn you that the muhly grass might not overwinter if you’re north of Zone 6. And watch out for the blue mistflower–it can be a spreader!
-Nan